HEAT at Suns Official Game Thread and Preview

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The Miami HEAT finish their six game road trip tonight as they take on the Phoenix Suns. The HEAT are 3-2 on the trip and 7-3 overall.

1. Doesn't seem that long ago that we saw the Suns in Miami. What changes tonight?

Couper Moorhead: Nothing will be different until the Suns prove they can defend Miami’s pick-and-rolls regularly throughout the course of the game. Marcin Gortat is good enough to cover for a number of mistakes at the rim, but if he’s constantly having to cover distance because LeBron James is turning the corner off screens with ease, then Chris Bosh is going to once again enjoy plenty of looks in space.

Danny Martinez: The biggest difference is the HEAT are playing the sixth and final game of their road trip. The HEAT have played in six games in eight days and four timezones. Fatigue may be setting in a little bit. Also, the HEAT may be without their starting backcourt. If that’s the case, the dynamic changes a little, but the HEAT have the horses to be just fine.

2. Many people have been surprised by the Suns' early-season record. What's helping them out so far?

Couper: The Suns’ offense was propped up by some unsustainably high percentages in the mid-range, where they take as many or more jumper as any other team in the league, including Boston and Philadelphia, but those rates have already started to fall. Phoenix was also enjoying having more than half of their shots with less than four seconds left on the shot clock – those contest, scrambling shots that are never one of the first three options in a possession – going in, but again that’s not something that can last very well over time. This is why you play process over results. A few games worth of a sample size really doesn’t mean much at all.

Danny: The Suns have had the benefit of an easy slate and have only had one back-to-back. Still, the Suns have to be happy with a 4-5 record. Their overall point differential indicates that that record isn’t sustainable. A couple of close wins have buoyed them, but over time it looks like they’ll slip some.

3. How good has LeBron been in the clutch so far?

Couper: This has been the topic of the week for us because of a couple of very close games, and it led me to do a little digging. Over the past two seasons and change with Miami, LeBron has a PER (player efficiency rating) over 34, by far the highest mark in the league, and when you consider that league average in that category is 15 and LeBron usually hovers around 28-30, you could even argue that he has raised his level of play late in games. These days, if you still claim that LeBron isn’t clutch, you’re living on a different planet.

Danny: LeBron has been LeBron in the clutch. His play in the last five minutes of close games has been exceptional. His play in the first 43 minutes of games has been exceptional. One of LeBron’s best features is that he doesn’t change his game for specific scenarios. He makes the right read regardless of any situation. It is what’s helped the HEAT win some close games themselves.

4. How much will the team benefit from the end of the road trip?

Couper: When this game ends, the HEAT will begin a stretch of three games in 13 days. Just what the doctor ordered when you’re suffering from a number of issues on the defensive end that require more than just an hour shootaround to fix. Erik Spoelstra is going to be talking a ton about defense over the next two weeks, and assuming everyone gets healthy be prepared for a more familiar Miami defense come December – something we’re already seeing hints of in fourth quarters when Miami’s defensive efficiency has been among the best in the league.

Danny: A lot. Not only was the road trip long, but the games were all squished together and while being spread out all over the country. When the HEAT return to Miami early Sunday morning, they’ll settle into a long stretch of home games with plenty of days off sprinkled in. That will provide the HEAT players and coaches ample time to tie up any loose ends that the road trip exposed.

5. If Mario Chalmers can't play, what do you expect from Norris Cole?

Couper: Cole hasn’t been perfect, but he’s fitting into the overall scheme of things much better than he did last year. He hasn’t converted on a high rate of his threes, but his shot looks much improved and his percentages should eventually rise if he keeps his current form. Cole still gets a little too aggressive challenging shotblockers at the rim, but we’re also seeing him mature in that area, going to a floater earlier in a drive rather than forcing contact. It’s tough to notice all the little things at times, but Cole is definitely still growing as a player, one capable of having an impact on a game even if he isn’t making jumpers or getting steals.

Danny: Norris Cole has made strides this season in maintaining control in any situation. He’s settled his pace and been able to work effectively in pick-and-rolls. Against the Suns, Cole doesn’t have to do anything particularly special. He needs play solid defense and let the offense come to him. As evidenced by his shot against the Suns, Cole isn’t afraid to let it fly. While he may be thrust into a bigger role, he doesn’t need to press and force plays that aren’t there.

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Looks like LeBron has the flu and might not play and Wades foot is still bothering him so he won't play either. Also it looks like Chalmers will play. Hopefully we can do what we did against Atlanta last year.

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1. Doesn't seem that long ago that we saw the Suns in Miami. What changes tonight?

Although this is the last game of the Heat’s grueling six game road trip I don’t believe fatigue will be a deciding factor in tonight’s matchup. With a day off yesterday I think we’ll see an energized team poised to close out the trip on a strong note. The Suns are still the same team we saw on November 5th so as long as LeBron’s cold doesn’t keep him out of the lineup the Heat should be able to get the “W”.

2. Many people have been surprised by the Suns' early-season record. What's helping them out so far?

Having played six of their ten games against teams under .500 can’t hurt. For the Suns a 4-6 record is acceptable for now but having played only ten games out of eighty two is not enough to tell how good or bad they actually are. As their schedule gets tougher we will have a better indication on where this team is.

3. How good has LeBron been in the clutch so far?

There really isn’t a word good enough to describe how clutch LeBron James has been this season. There are so many numbers we can throw at you to show how clutch he has been but we’d be here forever. LeBron is not only a clutch player but quite possibly the most clutch this league has to offer. For those of you that have not yet read it/ or are interested in seeing LeBron in the clutch numbers I recommend reading an article Coup wrote earlier this week titled “On LeBron in the clutch”.http://t.co/irVWYWad

4. How much will the team benefit from the end of the road trip?

Saying that the Miami Heat will benefit from the road trip ending might be an understatement. With a team that has not only endured two back to back games but has gone through it with players under the weather and injured this road trip coming to a close will do wonders for them.

5. If Mario Chalmers can't play, what do you expect from Norris Cole?

We should expect to see his points and assist totals go up assuming he gets what is expected to be more playing time. Other than that I think we’ll see some more turn overs than usual but should expect a decent night. Would be great to see him take advantage of the opportunity he will be given tonight.

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MIAMI should have enough to win with it's depleted roster even if WADE/LEBRON don't play.Either way Phoneix should be a good test for the HEAT,allowing MIAMI to work on it's rebounding and perimeter defense.Looking forward to a competitive game nonetheless...TEAM HEAT since '88!

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LeBron will play tonight. I think he has been a bit frustrated from having to carry this team on his shoulders every night while Wade has constantly sat out games for the past two years.

You have no idea what you're talking about, I HIGHLY doubt he minds at all. I just hope he doesn't overwork himself. There's zero reason to play with a flu in a regular season game at the beginning of the season against the Suns

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Photo Credit: Matthew Stockman
The Miami HEAT face the Cleveland Cavaliers Friday night at Quicken Loans Arena. The HEAT defeated the Cavaliers 122-101 in their last meeting on March 19. Tip-off is set for 7:30 PM. Television coverage on FOX Sports Sun begins at 7:00 PM. You can also listen to the action live on 790 The Ticket.
1: While down for most of the second half, what led to Miami pulling within three against the Hawks on Wednesday?
Couper Moorhead: This is where we throw the statistics out the window for a bit and talk about just how much this HEAT team, even with just nine available players for a stretch of four games in five nights, just seems to keep on coming no matter the score. Even with 15 losses, Miami’s net rating (pace adjusted average scoring differential) is -2.6, meaning they rarely actually get blown out. It just seems this team is allergic to being down double digits, and with players like Tyler Johnson and Rodney McGruder going all out all the time they tend to make enough hustle plays and run enough in transition to keep the team in it even on nights like Wednesday when the offense isn’t quite flowing as they would want it to. That sort of grit doesn’t always translate to wins, but it says a lot about the collective character of this group.
Joe Beguiristain: Pure grit. Despite having just nine available players on the second night of a back-to-back, Miami made no excuses and kept grinding. While Tyler Johnson had a career-night, both Goran Dragić and Rodney McGruder were also instrumental in the comeback bid. Dragić fought through the fatigue and did all he could in the fourth quarter, while McGruder never stopped hustling on both ends.
In short, the HEAT showed a lot of resolve to climb back and cut the deficit to single-digits a few times in the fourth. Although they ultimately fell short, you have to commend them for never giving up. That persistent mentality all starts at the top with Coach Spo, who always says that his team has enough to compete regardless of the circumstances. It remains to be seen how Miami will fare on a tough back-to-back set against the Cavaliers and Bulls, but you can rest assured that the HEAT will give it their all from beginning to end.
2: How have the Cavaliers started their season as defending champs?
Couper: As you would expect the defending champs to do. Cleveland is 15-5 with an elite offense and an overall defensive rating that, hovering around league average, probably doesn’t quite tell the full story since Cleveland has so often been up early. The Cavs recently went on a three-game losing streak, with two coming on the road, against the Bucks, Clippers and Bulls, but this is one of those teams where the true story of their season will be told after April 15. It’s somewhat similar to the 2014 Miami HEAT, in that respect, as that team had just come off three-straight trips to the Finals, back-to-back titles and even a 27-game winning streak – there just wasn’t much left to prove in the regular season for a veteran group. So, they took a business-like approach to the regular season, won their games, and rounded into shape for the playoffs.
Joe: Outside of a three-game losing streak last week, Cleveland has started the season pretty well. In fact, the Cavaliers are the best three-point shooting team in the league, which should come as no surprise given all the weapons they have. Here’s a crazy stat: Cleveland has four regular rotation players who shoot well over 40 percent from downtown. Of course, a lot of that has to do with LeBron James’ ability to consistently find the open man when opposing teams send a double team his way. While that’s nothing new, James is averaging a career-high 9.1 assists per game this season. Otherwise, Kyrie Irving has been superb on the offensive end, especially from mid-range.
Things haven’t been as sharp for the Cavaliers on the defensive side of things, as they rank below league average in efficiency. That said, this is a team that can turn it on at a moment’s notice.
3: How can Miami defend LeBron James and is narrowing it down to that one matchup even the right way to think about the Cavaliers anymore?
Couper: Similar to the situation with Carmelo Anthony and the Knicks or Paul Millsap and the Hawks, the HEAT are short a number of their best wing defenders right now. McGruder and Johnson will do the best they can, but sometimes you’re just at a size disadvantage and smart, veteran players know how to take advantage of that. And with James you have the added threat of his passing so if Miami elects to try and double him in the post when he has a smaller defender on him, James will immediately find the open space on the floor. Nobody in the league has a particularly good answer for that right now, so Miami may just have to live with the results in one-on-one defense and stay disciplined in their help so as not to allow a barrage of open threes.
Joe: Like I stated in my previous response, Cleveland has so many weapons that you can’t just solely focus in on James. If it’s not Irving torching you from distance, it’s Kevin Love, who is shooting a career-best 42.2 percent from beyond the arc. Let’s also not forget the forward’s 34-point first quarter against the Trail Blazers on November 23.
As such, I believe Miami should try and go at James one-on-one rather than double team him. Regardless of how much size McGruder has given up, he has made things tough on every assignment thus far. It’ll be difficult either way, but the HEAT have the mental fortitude and toughness needed to compete at a high level on Friday night.

Highlights:
March 19-Cavaliers at HEAT
December 5-Cavaliers at HEAT
Game Notes:
The HEAT are 7-15, while the Cavaliers are 15-5.
Miami has won 14 of its last 17 against Cleveland.
Goran Dragić leads the HEAT in points (18.0) and assists (6.5) per game.
Kyrie Irving leads the Cavaliers in scoring at 24.6 points per contest.
Efficiencies (Rank):
HEAT Offense: 100.4 (24)
HEAT Defense: 103.0 (14)
Cavaliers Offense: 111.0 (3)
Cavaliers Defense: 105.2 (19)

Photo Credit: Scott Cunningham
The Miami HEAT fell to the Atlanta Hawks 103-95 Wednesday night at Philips Arena. Tyler Johnson led the way for the HEAT with 27 points. Click here for the full recap on HEAT.com.

Photo Credit: Kevin C. Cox
The Miami HEAT face the Atlanta Hawks Wednesday night at Philips Arena. The HEAT fell to the Hawks 93-90 in their last meeting on November 15. Tip-off is set for 7:30 PM. Television coverage on FOX Sports Sun begins at 7:00 PM. You can also listen to the action live on 790 The Ticket.
1: What led to Miami’s home loss to the Knicks and what will Miami need to clean up headed to Atlanta?
Couper Moorhead: Erik Spoelstra and Goran Dragic talked about it after the game for a reason – the HEAT allowed 18 offensive rebounds and 31 second-chance points. Considering how New York struggled early in this game to find a good offensive rhythm, and was ice-cold from three, all those second opportunities kept them in the game so that by the time Carmelo Anthony went off in the second half, it led to the Knicks taking control of the game. Miami is obviously depleted right now with only nine available players Tuesday night and for the rest of the week, but they can only give their defense a chance to give them a win by finishing their defensive possessions.
Joe Beguiristain: Like Coup said above, the HEAT just gave the Knicks too many second-chance opportunities. In particular, Joakim Noah and Kyle O’Quinn racked up offensive boards to give New York life. It was really disappointing because there were a number of instances where Miami did everything it needed for a stop outside of grabbing the defensive board.
While Carmelo Anthony caught fire in the second half, he started off just 5-of-12 thanks in large part to Rodney McGruder. Kristaps Porzingis, meanwhile, was held in check for a majority of the night, as he shot just 6-of-15 on the evening. If Miami would have done the little things right, perhaps there would have been a different outcome to the game. Moving forward, the HEAT have to secure the defensive rebound after the initial stop.
2: What did we learn about the matchup with the new-look Hawks in the first meeting this season?
Couper: Unlike the Knicks game, the first game with Atlanta was actually one that Miami dominated on the glass, largely because Hassan Whiteside couldn’t be contained. Dwight Howard left the game with an injury during the second half, but he and Whiteside were enjoying a healthy battle before that. Once Howard went out, and any time he was on the bench, there was nobody on Atlanta’s roster who could consistently keep Whiteside away from the rim. That, for Wednesday night, should be very encouraging.
Also, Kyle Korver only got four shots on in that game as Spoelstra, as per usual, made sure his defenders always knew where he was.
Joe: Since Coup already mentioned Whiteside’s dominance against the Hawks the last time out, I’ll discuss two other guys who will be instrumental if Miami wants to come away with the win. In that last matchup against Atlanta, both McGruder and Tyler Johnson made some big plays down the stretch to narrow the gap. While both guys received over 30 minutes of playing time in that game, they will need to do more with just nine guys available this time around.
Otherwise, we learned that Tim Hardaway Jr. seems to be a valuable rotation player for the Hawks. In fact, the 24-year-old has one of the highest net ratings on the team and is shooting a career-high 46.8 percent from the field. There’s a good chance we’ll see Johnson matched-up with Hardaway Jr. at certain points throughout the game.
3: What aspect of Atlanta’s current losing streak could work in Miami’s favor Wednesday night?
Couper: The Hawks have lost 10 of their last 11 games, but there’s some context to consider there. Seven of those losses were on the road, including a five-point loss to the Warriors on the second night of a back-to-back, and three of those games did not include Paul Millsap (the Hawks lost by 30 or more in two of his absences). So there was some bad injury luck mixed in there with a tough spot in the schedule, though Millsap is now back in the lineup. That said, Atlanta’s defensive rating during those 11 games was a 109.3, so if there continues to be slippage on that end then Miami and especially Dragic could find an advantage by staying in attack mode – especially if the team can keep him playing downhill with solid screens, pace and the proper spacing.
Joe: The Hawks have surprisingly dropped seven straight, as injuries and poor play all-around have plagued the team. Here are some startling numbers: Atlanta is ranked last in offensive efficiency (90.2) and 25th in defensive efficiency (109.6) over its seven-game skid. That just doesn’t sound like the Mike Budenholzer led teams we’ve seen over the past few seasons.
With the Hawks struggling, the HEAT should have some success on both ends of the floor. The two-man game between Goran Dragić and Whiteside has been pretty deadly of late, so perhaps that can continue in Atlanta. That said, you never know what to expect in the NBA. In all, it should be an intriguing matchup between two teams starving for a victory.

Photo Credit: Issac Baldizon
The Miami HEAT fell to the New York Knicks 114-103 Tuesday night at AmericanAirlines Arena. Goran Dragić led the way for the HEAT with 29 points. Click here for the full recap on HEAT.com.

Photo Credit: Oscar Baldizon
The Miami HEAT host the New York Knicks Tuesday night at AmericanAirlines Arena. Get your tickets now! The HEAT defeated the Knicks 98-81 in their last meeting on February 28. Tip-off is set for 7:30 PM. Television coverage on FOX Sports Sun begins at 7:00 PM. You can also listen to the action live on 790 The Ticket.
1: Despite the end result, did Miami continue any positive trends from the three-game road trip as they took on Portland?
Couper Moorhead: Until the road trip and long minutes appeared to take a toll of the team down the stretch, Miami’s offense had continued to be full of energy and movement as Goran Dragic led the way through drive after drive after drive into the paint. And when Dragic didn’t have the ball in his hands, it was Josh McRoberts running the point for stretches or Hassan Whiteside finding deep position in the paint (where he was incredibly efficient) or Wayne Ellington running off screens. The offense wasn’t perfect, but it kept things moving and all the little things the HEAT have added to their scoring diet in the past week should help them build a more complete approach as players return from injury.
The defense, however, was also significantly stronger against Portland. That was partially due to Utah being red-hot from the perimeter, but the HEAT guards did very well chasing Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum around screens so they wouldn’t have enough air space for a comfortable jumper. A lot of that came from Rodney McGruder, who is proving himself to be a most dependable defensive option.
Joe Beguiristain: While Miami ultimately fell short in Portland, the team did continue to show improvement on both sides of the ball. Perhaps most impressive was how the HEAT limited Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum to a combined 13-of-37 shooting from the field. In particular, Rodney McGruder, Tyler Johnson and Goran Dragić did a great job on both guys for a majority of the contest. As a whole, Miami held Portland to just 40.4 percent shooting.
On the flip side of the ball, the two-man game between Dragić and Hassan Whiteside continued to be extremely effective. The Slovenian attacked the basket and knocked down jumpers thanks to good screens from Whiteside, while the big fella did a little bit of everything against Portland’s bigs. In short, both guys emptied the tank and gave it all they had in a valiant effort against the Trail Blazers.

2: How has New York’s offseason moves affected their team so far?
Couper: After adding Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah in the offseason, the Knicks are scoring over 108 points per 100 possessions with either of them on the floor and with another acquisition in Courtney Lee shooting well over 40 percent from three they’ve been an above-average offense overall so far. But additions can also come from internal development as Kristaps Porzingis has entered this season as a significantly improved offensive player, scoring 20 points per game on about the same number of possessions he used during his rookie season when he averaged 14. This is as dynamic an offense as the Knicks have had since their playoff runs a few seasons ago. They’re also 11-9 based on a defense that currently ranks below average, but that doesn’t take away from this being one of the tougher teams to gameplan for in the league these days.
Joe: The Knicks have improved on the offensive end thus far thanks to the additions of Derrick Rose, Courtney Lee, and Brandon Jennings. While Jennings provides a spark off the bench for New York, both Rose and Lee have been producing well in the staring lineup. In the case of Rose, the 28-year-old is averaging 19.3 points, 4.9 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game on 46.8 percent shooting in his last ten. He’s also been getting to the free throw line at a higher rate during that time frame. We all know what Rose is capable of when healthy, and he seems to be in a good place right now. Thanks in part to the playmaking point guard, the Knicks have won three straight and are two games over .500 for the first time this season.
3: How do you think Miami will defensively handle New York’s leading scorers in Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis?
Couper: To answer this we must first discuss Miami’s injury situation. James Johnson, Justise Winslow and Dion Waiters have all been ruled out for the game. Josh Richardson and Luke Babbitt are both doubtful. So Miami will be shorthanded in general but could also be missing a chunk of its non-center size, meaning anyone other than Derrick Williams could potentially be giving up both inches and pounds to the 6-foot-8 Anthony. Miami still has a ton of gritty defenders, but if Anthony has a size advantage in the post it will take a disciplined array of help defenders to keep him away from the rim.
As for Porzingis, you could see some cross-matching between him and Whiteside. Miami could want Whiteside to get Porzingis switched on to him so Whiteside can get good position in the post, but by the same token asking Whiteside to chase the Knicks’ high-volume shooter feet beyond the three-point line is quite the task for a full game. The guess would be that Whiteside starts the game defending Noah or Kyle O’Quinn, depending on who is in the lineup, and then we see the Whiteside-Porzingis matchup later in the game when New York goes small with Anthony at the four spot.
Joe: As Coup mentioned above, things will be tough without James Johnson, Justise Winslow or Dion Waiters. Last season, we were treated to great matchups between Winslow and Carmelo Anthony, but unfortunately that won’t be the case this time around. Even though McGruder is giving up a bunch of size, perhaps we’ll see him defending Anthony on the perimeter at certain points in the game. Otherwise, we could see Derrick Williams or Josh McRoberts on Anthony from time to time.
Kristaps Porzingis, meanwhile, has really taken a leap forward in his sophomore season. The 21-year-old has upped his production in nearly every facet, with the biggest jumps coming in points per game and field goal percentage. McRoberts will likely start on the talented big unless Miami wants to cross-match like Coup stated above. Regardless of who guards Porzingis, they will have to give him no space on the perimeter since nearly 43 percent of his shots come off catch-and-shoot opportunities. Again, it’ll be tough, but we’ll see how it all pans out on Tuesday night.

Highlights:
February 28-HEAT at Knicks
January 6-Knicks at HEAT
Game Notes:
The HEAT have won two of three and are 7-13.
The Knicks have won three straight and stand at 11-9.
Hassan Whiteside leads Miami in points (17.8), rebounds (14.9) and blocks (2.6) per game.
Carmelo Anthony leads New York in scoring at 22.5 points per contest.
Efficiencies (Rank):
HEAT Offense: 100.2 (24)
HEAT Defense: 102.1 (11)
Knicks Offense: 104.4 (13)
Knicks Defense: 107.2 (27)